Wealth Gap Upside Down: Youth Often More Hopeful in Countries with High Inequality
In nations with significant income disparity, youth are more prone to subscribing to the idea of social mobility.
Turns out, young folks in nations like Albania, Jamaica, or Kazakhstan display an unexpected level of optimism about their future prospects compared to their peers in France or South Korea. Don't worry, this isn't a problem for now according to experts in the renowned journal "Science". But it does come with its risks.
Greater the divide, greater the hope and ambition. Sounds counterintuitive? That's exactly what's happening in many countries, as per researchers Francesca Borgonovi of the University College London and Artur Pokropek from the Educational Research Institute in Warsaw.
Youngsters hold onto the belief that they could rise higher in the social ladder in countries where income inequalities are exceptional. However, this optimism can often be deceptive, leading to frustration, disappointment, and social unrest, the authors warn.
It's all about equal opportunities irrespective of our family backdrop, the experts explain. Periods of sustained economic growth have allowed numerous youngsters to surpass the status of their parents. This concept is known as social mobility.
Unequal Income Equals Unequal Expectations
Innumerable countries have seen a hike in income disparities compared to a few decades ago. Even Germany has witnessed an increase till recently, due to an uptick in the statutory minimum wage.
The growing inequality, along with a stronger correlation between parental wealth and child's prospects, hampers upward mobility, as noted by the researchers. "Rising high tides don't raise all boats equally - yachts rise higher than dinghies," they add.
The Great Gatsby Curve - A Noteworthy Pattern
In countries with greater income inequality, social mobility is often low, a familiar pattern referred to as the Great Gatsby Curve. This trend comes as a surprise given that young people belief in their chances of upward mobility is the highest in nations with high income disparities, evidence from the Pisa study shows.
On average, 29% of 15-year-olds in Germany expect to achieve a higher status compared to their parents by the age of 30. This number gallery hops up to 40% in nations like Albania, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, and Romania. South Korea, Malaysia, and France have lower percentages at 18%, 20%, and 22% respectively for this aspirational group.
Most 15-year-olds Stay Positive
The researchers looked into responses from around 390,000 students from 57 countries, primarily Germany, Spain, Albania, Brazil, USA, Indonesia, and Vietnam, aged 15. The respondents were asked to rate their future prospects on a scale of 1 to 10, indicating where they saw themselves in their country's social hierarchy at age 30. An overwhelming majority of 15-year-olds worldwide aspire to surpass their parents' status. Education being the key to success, according to most.
"Growth Keeps Society Together"
Despite the wider social gap between the rich and the poor in societies with high inequality, sustained economic growth plays a crucial role in maintaining social cohesion. This is due to individuals barely noticing the advantages picked up by their more privileged peers during economic growth, thereby reducing feelings of frustration and disconnect.
However, times are changing, and unmet dreams can lead to reduced well-being, lower faith in institutions, decreased civic engagement, and even political upheaval.
Source: ntv.de, kst/dpa
- System Justification Theory
- Psychological Factors
- Youth Optimism
- Economic Growth and Policy Initiatives
- The optimism young people display in countries with high economic inequality might be deceptive, leading to frustration and social unrest, according to researchers.
- In countries with higher income inequality, social mobility tends to be low, a pattern known as the Great Gatsby Curve.
- Despite the growing economic inequality in many countries, continued economic growth can help keep society together by reducing feelings of frustration and disconnect.
- The belief in equal opportunities, regardless of family background, is crucial for upward mobility, as highlighted by experts from the System Justification Theory and Psychological Factors fields.
